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Ocean Genesis

Avatar: The way of water

"You're going to fall of this time." Li' Aeyana warned as Neteyam mounted the ilu. His training was not as unbearable as she thought. He began listening as he had finally learned to breathe. But he was not focussed as he idled with his braid after bonding with the ilu.

"It would be a shame, you have been doing so good the last few days." she teased as the corners of her lip revealed her dimple again.

Li' Aeyana had also changed her approach, a bit. She'd only yell and scold if he continuously got something wrong after she explained more than three times, this was her attempt at showing patience. "What is wrong Sully?"

She never called him by name and to even this he felt unsure of how to feel. He was learning, he was but Neteyam could not understand why he was feeling the way he was. He had heard from her sister of Li' Aeyana's celebration feast, it felt impossible to describe how he felt. Sons of clans would compete for her hand and to this he felt uneasy.

Ever since Tsireya had told him , he felt anxious around her. She dwindled around his mind for longer than she should have and it irritated him. Whoever she would choose as betrothed was not his business, so why did it bother him as much?

"I just don't feel well, that is all." Neteyam answered looking to her. She had let go of her cold glares she had once given him, which felt like a relief but now it made him want to look at her more. Every detail of her face. The dimple on her cheek, the markings that looked so similar to her mothers even the tiny speck of blue in her green eyes.

"You are lying. I can tell." she answered "You make an ugly face when you lie and you talk fast."

His eyes shifted downward at her observation. He was unsure of how to feel knowing that could tell. "It's um-" he had to think of something, but not a lie, something truthful "I heard my father was able to take control of the skimwing, it probably means I'll have to too as well as Lo'ak." He answered "It just all feels like too much sometimes."

This stuck with Li' Aeyana, mostly because she understood him. Constantly having to be the perfect child, never being able to make room for mistakes. "Come, we're going under. Just take a deep breath and follow me."

Neteyam and his siblings had grown used to the sea. Gradually learning the way of water, even though it carried it's difficulties. For him it was still calming his heartbeat when going under water, not feeling the air run out of his lungs, especially around her.

He'd become irritated with himself in how he allowed himself to constantly think about her. Her hated how much he was starting to like the small things about her that she herself paid no attention. He hated how quickly he noticed how one corner of her smile was higher than the other, her one dimple, how unkept her hair looked whenever she'd come out of the water, how they were almost the same height.

As the sun was setting at the vibrant colors of the sea life became brighter Neteyam noticed a the same entrance in a wall that she lead them through. The entrance was narrow and tight as he gripped tighter to the ilu. Swimming upwards to reveal a small cove, abandoned with the perfect view of the sunset.

She climbed off Ryeli to climb upward. Holding out her hand as he took it. He looked around him to see a path with shallow water as the corals and reefs illuminated under the dark passage.

"Where are we?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" She replied turning to face him "Haven't you learned anything yet? This place will help you focus on my lessons."

"How do you know that?" he dumbly asked as she chuckled

"Because I'm always right. Remember that jungle boy." She answered leading them through a dark cave. He tried keeping up as he felt the sharp corals underneath his feet, as they continued to walk as it became lighter, the tunnel coming at its end as he felt the warm and soft sand beneath them.

She pulled him by his arm as she approached the coast of the empty beach. Sitting at the reach where the waves barely reached them. "Well you sit down now." She relaxed propping herself on her elbows as she lied back down. Neteyam hesitantly looked back to the cave

"I'm not sure..." he notified "I don't want to get into trouble." Slowly taking a seat next to her "I can't be late otherwise my dad-"

"Do you always think of your dad? You seem like you can't make a decision without him." She quickly replied "I don't mean it as an insult, Aonung is the same."

"It's not that -" he said as she faced him, her eyes focussed on him as he wanted to retract his words "You wouldn't understand."

"I more than anyone understands, I just don't care anymore." She sighed sitting up propping her knees under her chin "Sometimes I feel like I'll never be good enough, so why bother trying?"

"That's easier said than done." he scoffed

"Why do you say that?"

He watches her carefully as her eyes sink deeper across the waves. "He is Toruk Makto. I can't be anything less than..." he truthfully answered "And not only that I must answer for everything they all do. Tuk, Kiri even Lo'ak." he confessed "Lo'ak..." his thoughts wondered to his brother. Ever since he could remember he had to keep an eye out for them all.

And part of it he understood and did out of love but sometimes it felt like a duty, one slip up and he would have to address his father. Sir. His dad cared for them deeply and would always be protective of his children but Neteyam sometimes felt like his father's over protective nature clouded how much pressure he was putting his oldest son.

His breath hitched when he felt Li' Aeyana's warm hand placed itself on his shoulder "You can't be perfect, not even he is." she attempted to comfort him "You must find a way to break from that, otherwise you'll drown in it."

"How do you know that."

To this Li' Aeyana smiled as she felt a wave of memories wash over her, distant memories. "I used to be like that. Constantly focussed on my studies, looking out for Aonung and Tsireya but when..." she shook her head, not ready to confess her entire truths

"You can't control everything and everyone. I learned this the hard way. When I stopped wanting to control everything and everyone I managed to relax. I connected myself with things that I wanted to. Things that made me happy and not my mother."

"Like what?" he quietly asked feeling himself get drawn by her way of life, wishing it was that easy for him. That simply

"Many things." she said "What do you do to relax?"

"Where's this interest coming from?" he quickly countered

"Because you are a horrible student, who never focusses." she sarcastically remarked playfully punching his shoulder "I tease." she added "Because you are never focussed, you'll never be one with the ocean if you can't set aside your thoughts. You must be light and free from everything and everyone."

"I like flying. It helps me sometimes." Neteyam answered. He did not want to think too much of home, it hurt too much. He missed everything of the forest, the spirits, the trees, even the tiniest specks of grass.

He missed how he soared through the mountains with his family. Everything that he knew and understood of himself was thanks to the forest and what he had been taught. He would never say this to his father but he wished he could go back home.

"So let's go." Li' Aeyana dared. "Let's go right now."

This made Neteyam feel uneasy as it was already becoming dark which meant late. "I-" Kiri had told him how easily she challenged one , not caring of the consequence and as it bold as it was, he could not be like her "I can't. I think we should head back, before it gets too dark out."

"I did not think of you as someone who's afraid of the dark." she teased as she could see his discomfort

"I'm not-" to which she only rolled her eyes

"I am joking. Don't be so serious all the time." She recited his own words to him as she lead them back.

Neteyam had returned home to their Marui pod but with Jake and Neytiri already standing at the opening he could already assume he was in trouble. Even his brother and sisters were surprised that he was the last to arrive, after dark. It was something unknown, an occurrence that had never happened before. Neytiri was quick to hug her son as she held his face in her hand looking for any scratch

"Where were you? We had gotten scared!" She sighed in relief as Neteyam stepped back he said nothing as his eyes trailed to his father. But rather than anger as what he expected Jake seemed rather anxious.

Jake would spend every waking morning and night hoping that they were safe. That no one knew where they were, but he could not keep track of four children, he knew that as Lo'ak had proven time and time again.

What if one day his children left and they never came back. He could not live with the guilt. "C'mon, let's go for a talk." he sternly spoke as the two exited the pod

Outside they watched the night sky, but it was different from home. In trees you're closer to the stars than the ocean. He looked to Neteyam who's face told a tale of guilt. "Are you hurt?" Jake questioned

"No sir."

Sir. a word that he had become accustomed to between his sons, not that he did not understand why. More than a hand of times Neytiri had to remind him that he was not just their leader but also their father.

"Are you gonna tell me where you were or do I have to ask Tuk?" He questioned to which Neteyam only sighed. He wasn't one to carry his inner thoughts and feelings on his sleeve. Like a soldier he took his frustrations and swallowed them. Jake wished he didn't, wondered if he was the reason why. Praying he was not the reason why.

Neteyam remained quiet as Jake cleared his throat. "Your mother told me there's a girl on your mind. Says she's hard on you."

"She is not so bad, she means well. I think." Neteyam managed to crack a smile to his father which seemed to lighten Jake's mood as well. "She calls me skxawng and even a baby. Dumb and reckless, which I hate."

To this Jake could not help but laugh at the irony "She calls you that? Exactly those words." Irony seemed to be friend to both his sons as Neytiri had told him

"It is not funny." Neteyam quickly defended as Jake only managed to laugh more "She thinks I am not focussed, which is not true. I am, most of the times." Jakes chuckles became quiet as he could see Neteyam's mind run away from him again. Seemed to be an occupational habit since leaving home

"Is she why you were late tonight?"

"If I said yes, would I be in trouble?"

Jake shook his head "No, but I need you to understand that you have to be careful. I just-" he sighed "I need to know that you all are safe, you understand that?"

"Yes sir."

Li' Aeyana was not speaking to her mother. She barely shared a room with Ronal since she had received the news. She sat outside their pod with her feet in the water. Releasing a deep breath as she found herself seated next to her brother.

"Did she send you to reason with me?"

"No, she's gone to bed early tonight." Aonung answered as Li' Aeyana scoffed laying on her back counting the stars.

"Then why are you here?" she sharply asked him

Li' Aeyana had it in her head that he was her mothers favourite. Not necessarily favourite but she knew Tsireya and Aonung made things easier for their mothers.

They were loyal and obedient, and though Aonung struggled to follow order from his father, he was devoted to his mothers word. It was like law to everyone but her. She loved her mother, but she simply wished they would all stop trying to control her. She found it easier to seek comfort from Tsireya or Tonowari.

They never argued against her, never tried to sway her mind to keep Ronal happy. The twins have had many arguments about her and her lack of order when it came to Ronal. But that was also because she confided so easily in her son , with everything, especially his twin sister.

"What is it you want Li' Aeyana? What must she do to make you happy?"

She groaned sitting back up "Call it all of? Would that kill anyone? Why can't I simply tsahik without a husband or children? Why does she insist on thinking marriage will make me happy?" She exclaimed frustrated by it all

"And what would make you happy? Everything they try makes you angry?"

The answer seemed too simply to even speak. It was not difficult but her mother made it feel so "I just want her to listen to me. Just once without forcing what she wants on me. I can't be what she wants me to be."

To this Aonung had no words. He could see the glaze over his sisters eyes as he wrapped his arms around her as he held her wishing there was a way to make both at peace with one another.

unbeknownst to them Ronal had heard every word.

Authors note:
So I wrote fluff
The fluff in question:

Li' Aeyana and Neteyam 🤝 family dynamics

So yes this books will go heavily into family dynamics because I like making characters go through IT.
I'll be updating this book super regularly because I have so much time on my hand now.

Thank you sm for all the votes and comments i truly appreciate every reader

💌